2 thoughts on “Internet cords!

  1. Carrie Macfarlane

    We’ve considered the possibility of loaning out ethernet cables. I’ll let those who know the background respond. Stay tuned…

  2. Elin Waagen

    Thanks for your suggestions! LIS is working on resolving these questions and concerns.
    See also previous posts on this topic:
    http://sites.middlebury.edu/lissuggestions/2009/03/24/yellow-cables-for-checkout/
    and
    http://sites.middlebury.edu/lissuggestions/2009/12/06/i-wish-i-could-get-faster-internet/

    Ethernet cables were previously cataloged, barcoded and available for check-out. Staff time to inventory and maintain was not cost-effective, and reduced current staffing resources make this option even less possible now.

    The Yellow Cable program was launched to provide a “borrow one/return one” option. We worked hard to save the honor program, but ultimately it died because students stopped returning them to the bins at our service points. They disappeared as quickly as we refilled the bins. Eventually we ran out – and the few that trickled back – are not enough to resuscitate the program.

    We routinely check the Recycling Center for library materials and Ethernet cables – and staff there routinely send them to LIS. I recently followed up on a suggestion “to retrieve the thousands of yellow cables from the Recycling Center” – here is their response: “We have about ten cables or so but they are not all yellow . Some are blue, purple, green…”

    Cables for check-out is not cost-effective.
    Sadly, the Yellow Cable honor system died when they were taken permanently instead of being returned.
    What else can we try? We welcome your ideas!
    How should we fund this? What can be done to ensure the success of a Yellow Cable type of honor/sharing program?
    Let’s keep talking – together we can create solutions that can work for students and current staffing and budget levels.
    Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *